Fathers in God
http://www.ccf.org.ph/2009/06/fathers-in-god/
Austin L. Sorensen once said that a child is not likely to find a father in God unless he finds something of God in his father. That does not mean, of course, that our fathers are God. It simply means that they must have the spirit of God inside of them.
And it does not mean that we should base our ideas about God on our fathers alone. But it does mean that fathers have the special task of giving their families an idea of how God is a Father to the world.
So, how is God our Father? What are his fatherly qualities that our fathers have the honor of showing?
First, the Father provides for all our needs. He is always there to protect us, lead us, comfort us, and feed us. In the book of Matthew, Jesus compared a father’s provisions to the Lord’s provisions. He asks, “Which of you would give your children stones when they ask for bread, or snakes when they ask for fish? If you, though you are sinful, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:9-11)!
Maybe our fathers are not perfect like God. Maybe they cannot always be there, and maybe they don’t always have the answer. But when they do their best to provide for us, they are already good fathers because they reflect God’s fatherly concern. We are really very blessed and thankful.
Second, the Father disciplines with love. When we do something wrong, he treats us lovingly but fairly.
Proverbs 3:11-12 says, “My son, do not resent the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father disciplines the son he delights in.”
Yes, discipline can be painful, and at the start, it can be hard to understand. In fact, only when I left home for college did I begin to understand some of the rules that my parents set for me. I realized that they gave me guidelines for living in a happy, healthy way, and with respect for myself and for other people.
So discipline is really a blessing, because it’s God’s way of making sure that we know what’s best for us. A truly loving, godly father does not abuse his children, but he does try to make sure that his children know what is God’s best for them.
Third, the Father’s love does not have to be earned. Godly fathers do not say, “I love you because you are a good student,” or, “I love you because you do what I say,” or, “I love you because you are good-looking.” This is because God himself does not say, “I love you because.” In fact, he says “Because I love you.”
In Romans 5, it says that because God loved us, he was willing to die for us even though we were sinful – even though we’re disobedient children. God the Father does what he does because he loves us.
In the same way, our fathers do their fatherly things because they love us – not because we obey them or because we are handsome or because we are gifted, but because they love us the way God loves us.
What is the result of this love? What is the legacy of your godly fatherhood?
Someone once said that the best legacy you can leave is a good example. By being godly, fathers raise children who are godly.
And the fathers themselves are called blessed. Proverbs 23:24 says, “The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.” What father isn’t proud when others say, “You have such good children!” Wouldn’t you be even prouder if you can say, “Oh, I taught them that! They got it from me!”
Even Jesus lived to follow in his father’s footsteps. In John 5:19-20, he told the Jews, “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.”
Those of us who have good fathers are blessed, because in their own way, they reflect the love of our heavenly Father. I am sorry if some of you did not have a father growing up, or if your father did not treat you well. But I trust, and I hope you also trust that your heavenly Father is taking care of you. And he has given all of us, his children, the task and privilege of showing his love where it was not felt before.
I thank God for good fathers, and I thank God for being our Father. I hope you all have a wonderful Father’s Day.
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Katrina B. Alvarez is the CCF website editor. She wrote this message last year for the fathers in her hometown church in South Cotabato. From her godly father, she learned how to take photographs, pitch a tent, and love one’s family, among other things.
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